Paso de Sico, CL/AR
The building of the border post is 11 km beyond Paso de Sico in
Argentina territory. As in Paso de Jama at the time of my entry
Chile the two countries have their controls, immigration and
customs. I was alone. The procedure was fast except, as usual, for
the seizure of information of the automobile license to fill the
temporary import license.
Of course the Argentinian side landscapes are the same ones as in
Chile as well as fauna, vicuna. After Paso de Sico the ruta-#51 is a
track whose coating is less good quality. A junction on the left for
the ruta-#40 leads to Viaducto de La Polvorilla then to Susques to
join the ruta-#52 and Purmamarca towards the ruta-#9. The ruta-#40
curves on the plateau between 3800m and +4500m of altitude. The
ruta-#52 plunges to Purmamarca of +4000m to +2250m while crossing a
dense layer of clouds. The temperature fell brutally from +14°C to
-5°C. At the bivouac on the ruta-#9, 2226 m, at 18:30 the
temperature was of 0°C.
En route click la photo
Tilcara
Take advice of my pillow. I decided to return to the campground El
Jardin at Tilcara used three weeks ago hoping for good Wifi at the
same restaurant. But the things are never as we wish it. Indeed I
could publish the pages of my website and correct anomalies of the
preceding publication. But I could neither to reach my bank account
nor to download the new version of QuoVadis. The devil had appeared.
The morning was cold with an overcast sky which was released around
midday with a hot sun until 16:00.
The GPS road tacklog
from Tilcara to San Antonio de los Cobres
from 2016/08/22 au 2016/08/25
Salta
Every Monday morning the August 22nd before leaving I returned to
the restaurant with Wifi connection to try, vainly, to reach the
HSBC bank and to download the new version of QuoVadis. I left the
camping El Jardin around 11:00 after having discussed with a French
young couple on vacation under a tent, brr. The ruta-#9 descends
from 2226 m to 1200 m in Salta in splendid desert landscapes then in
green mountains. While arriving at Salta I located the HSBC agency
open from 8:30 to 13:30. Then I went to the bivouac in the quiet
street previously used.
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Every Tuesday morning the August 23rd by leaving my truck in a
guarded carpark I went to the HSBC agency where I was accepted with
courtesy by presenting the HSBC Premier card. I exposed the problem
of the secure key blocked following three erroneous attempts. A
computer and a telephone were placed at my disposal to solve this
problem in relation to a person of HSBC Premier in France. In 15
minutes the secure key was freed. I cordially thanked the person of
HSBC Salta. Then I left in search of a truck washing station because
I did not want to present it having undergone the insults of the
desert de Atacama. I stationed on the contiguous carpark to profit
from a Wifi connection detected by my Windows Phone smartphone. Alas
for an incomprehensible reason my computers did not find it. I
remained on this carpark before going to bivouac close to the
Mercedes-Benz garage where I had appointment the next morning.
Ruta-#51
The Wednesday the 24th at 8:30 I entrusted my truck at Mercedes-Benz
for the periodic revision. I recovered it around 12:30. Then I moved
towards San Antonio de Los Cobres by the ruta-#51. I stopped at the
edge of the road to bivouac at 2425 m high. The ruta is a track
during 45 km then a tarred road.
San Antonio de los Cobres
On Thursday, August 25th, the ruta-#21 ends in 30 km of gravel
track. Admittedly work is in hand to complete its asphalting. I
stopped on the carpark opposite Tourism Office. My smartphone
detected a Wifi connection, but nobody knew the password! Two sights
in the village are the church San Antonio de Padua built in adobe
and covered with volcanic rocks cut by hand and the model of
Viaducto de La Polvorilla which was built from 1930 to 1932 for el
Tren a las Nubes has. I bivouacked on the carpark.
S. A. de los Cobres, click the picture
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| Bivouac ruta-#51 at sunrise |
The GPS road tacklog
from San Antonio de los Cobres to Cafayate
from 2016/08/26 au 2016/08/28
Ruta-#40, Puente del Diablo
On Friday, August 26th I started to traverse the ruta-#40 which
crosses Argentina from north to south. From San Antonio de los
Cobres it climbs up to 4995 m high. Of course I walked very slowly.
On the way I was likely to see three specimens of the fauna of high
altitude. The most exceptional was a superb not very savage fox. The
descent from the pass was like the impressive rise. I decided to
stop me since I will be under the 3000 m high. Indeed the Wallas
diesel cooker as well as the Eberspächer & Webasto heatings
function badly in high altitude clogging the candle - glow plug. On
ground tracks with corrugated iron, it proves to be necessary to
block the sash bolts of some doors with American Scotch tape,
because they open with the vibrations. It is the same of the stop of
the part of the partition between the cell and the cabin which is
folded back on the door of the toilets, (who wrote:
4x4 of exception?). I warned a way
indicated Puente del Diablo. I engaged and bivouacked there on the
spot at 2956 m high.
En route, click the picture
You said 5,000 m high, ah well!
Ruta-#40, Cachi
On Saturday, August 27th the ruta-#40 goes down in sumptuous
landscapes with ocher-red color. I stopped in Cachi small town of
which the buildings surrounding the Plaza are typically of colonial
architecture. I benefitted from it to make the coffee break. Then
the road curves in Valles Calchaquies from the name of a population
which resisted the obligatory work imposed by Spanish. The fertile
valley is surrounded by a quasi desert landscape. I bivouacked after
Angostura at the bottom of hills in erosion at the altitude of 1967
m. The day was gloomy, without sun.
En route & Cachi, click the picture
Ruta-#40, Cafayate
On Sunday, August 28th on the way towards Cafayate I passed the
Marion & Daniel's motor home PSI-Azalaï. Of course we exchanged
information. I continued up to Cafayate to attend a high color
procession at the exit of the church. Then I sought a Wifi
connection to publish the pages of my site. Alas that given by
Daniel was not enough fast to take in load the pictures of my
website. I found a bivouac close to the closed municipal camping at
1634 m high.
En route & Cafayate, click the picture
